Melissa Chen is Director of Programs at 9 Dots.
Melissa is interested in all things related to design and tech. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and previously worked as a mechanical engineer for Northrop Grumman (Marine Systems). After taking a year off to backpack around the world, she moved to Los Angeles in 2011 to help launch 9 Dots.
About 9 Dots
9 Dots is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that strives to close the opportunity gap for underserved youth through STEM education. Founded by a group of engineers and a Ph.D. student in UCLA’s Department of Education, 9 Dots launched in 2011. 9 Dots works with local elementary and middle school youth, providing free after-school programs as well as weekend and summer robotics and coding camps. In addition, 9 Dots provides STEM professional development for local educators and community organizations. Our goal is to provide our youth with the resources and tools they need for a brighter future.
SWE Involvement
Melissa has been an active member of SWE-Los Angeles since 2012. She was extremely honored to have the opportunity to speak on a panel called “Engineers in Informal STEM Education: From Casual Contributions to Careers” at the 2014 SWE conference in Los Angeles.
